Scots are being warned that the location of their thermostat in their home could be adding hundreds to their bills.
With news that the energy price cap is set to rise again in April households are being told the best place to position their thermostats to save money.
Experts believe your hallway is not the only room you should avoid having your heating regulator.
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “Deciding where to place your thermostat is important because it can affect how well your heating works. Placing it in a room that is colder than the rest of the house, such as a hallway, is a bad idea as it will turn on and off at the wrong times.”
Ben continued, saying: “For example, if you open the front door and let in cold air, then the thermostat may tell your heating system to send out more heat as it thinks the whole house is below your desired temperature.”
In a warning for British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON, Octopus customers, Ben added: “Having a thermostat near to a radiator, window or in direct sunlight will also skew the readings, reports Birmingham Live.
“These spots are warmer, so the thermostat may switch off before the whole space has been heated to the target temperature.” The room that you use the most, most likely your living room, Ben explained.
“This is where it’s easiest to control the temperature, and in an area of good airflow,” Ben said. Ben explained: “The Energy Saving Trust recommends heating your home to between 18 to 21 degrees Celsius during winter.
“Turning down your thermostat by just one degree can reduce your energy bill by up to 10%.” Millions of households face a greater than expected increase to their energy bills of about 5% from April after a slump in Europe’s gas storage levels caused market prices to climb, according to analysts.
The average gas and electricity bill for a typical household in Great Britain is expected to rise by £85 from April to £1,823 a year under the energy regulator’s price cap.